Best Fine Dining in Saigon: The Monkey Gallery – A Michelin Restaurant Review for Market Winners

Published At: July 12, 2025 byKevin Zhao6 min read
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Anh em ơi (Vietnamese for "friends"), let me break character for a hot minute. Yeah, you know me for calling out crypto plays and dissecting market momentum like a football coach drawing up the perfect strategy. But tonight? We're talking about something that hits different – The Monkey Gallery Dining in Ho Chi Minh City, the Michelin-selected restaurant with a 4.6/5 rating from over 140 reviews that's become my personal celebration spot after every big win.

Look, I've been grinding in these Vietnamese markets for years, and when you nail a perfect setup – whether it's catching VN30 on a breakout or timing that BTC momentum just right – you need a place that matches that energy. The Monkey Gallery isn't just dinner; it's an artistic explosion that mirrors the same precision and creativity I chase in every trade.

Chef Trần Hậu: The Market Maker of Vietnamese Cuisine

Just like how the best traders reimagine classic strategies, Chef Trần Hậu takes Vietnamese cuisine and flips the script entirely. This culinary innovator, who's helped earn the restaurant its Michelin selection for 2023-2024 plus recognition as Best 50 Discovery, approaches cooking like a contrarian play that makes bank – he takes what everyone thinks they know and shows them something completely unexpected.

His Pumpkin Flowers Stuffed with Chicken and Mashed Artichokes with hibiscus sauce? That's like finding an undervalued stock hidden in plain sight. The man takes humble Vietnamese ingredients and elevates them to championship level. It's the same mindset I have when I spot potential in overlooked Southeast Asian small caps.

But here's where Chef Hậu really shows his genius – The 'Purple' Dish. Anh em, this dude took phở bò – our national treasure – and completely reimagined it using wonton-style wrappers and purple cabbage. That takes serious confidence. It's like taking a time-tested trading strategy and finding a way to make it work in today's volatile crypto markets. Risky? Absolutely. Revolutionary? You bet.

The Gallery Experience: Fine Dining Meets Market Precision

Walking into The Monkey Gallery feels like entering a high-stakes trading floor, but instead of screens showing candlestick patterns, you've got an open kitchen where culinary artists execute with the same precision I demand from my trades. The minimalist, Japanese-influenced décor creates this focused energy – no distractions, just pure execution.

With only 12 regular seats and 7 chef's table spots, this place operates like an exclusive trading desk. You can't just walk in hoping for a table – reservations are essential and often booked weeks in advance, just like how you can't wing it in the markets and expect consistent returns. The restaurant also accommodates vegetarian diets and special dietary preferences, making it accessible for diverse celebration crews.

Signature Dishes That Hit Like Perfect Trades

Chef Hậu's 'Brown' Dish featuring sea cucumber, oysters, spirulina, and pine mushrooms is pure artistry. The texture interplay reminds me of a perfectly balanced portfolio – different assets working together to create something greater than the sum of their parts. Every element has its role, just like how I diversify across Vietnamese equities, crypto, and regional plays.

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Kevin Zhao is Barclay News’ no-holds-barred trading commentator, known for his fast takes, loud calls, and unapologetic love for volatility. A former derivatives trader turned media firebrand, Kevin made his mark on trading floors with aggressive instincts and uncanny timing—earning big wins, taking hard hits, and always bouncing back with more wisdom and wilder analogies.

Now he brings that same energy to Barclay Club, breaking down complex market moves—whether it’s crypto chaos, FX flash crashes, or gold price spikes—into smart, punchy takes built for action. He’s not here to sugarcoat or slow down. He’s here to wake up Southeast Asia’s retail traders with honest advice, tactical heat, and maybe a few sports metaphors too many.

When he’s not calling out the markets, you’ll find Kevin in the stands at a football match, on a tennis court, or dissecting athlete mindset videos like they were central bank minutes. His column, Quick Trade, Big Play, is where momentum meets motivation—and every trader gets a shot at their breakthrough.

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